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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28377504">A Child Soldier is Still a Child</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Overgrown_Druid/pseuds/Overgrown_Druid'>Overgrown_Druid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But mostly fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Healing, Nightmares, Please just let these two have a happy ending, Running Away</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:26:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,371</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28377504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Overgrown_Druid/pseuds/Overgrown_Druid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When put under pressure, a piece of coal has two options.</p>
<p>Meet all the needed requirements and become a beautiful diamond</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>succumb to the pressure and be crushed.</p>
<p>And Tommy and Tubbo are tired of pressure and requirements. </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Tommy and Tubbo run away and build a house in the woods because they're tired of acting like adults.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo &amp; TommyInnit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>150</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Child Soldier is Still a Child</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ernest Hemmingway once said "Write drunk, edit sober."</p>
<p>I say "Write for three hours around midnight and do minimal editing at three pm."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the day before the festival and Tommy and Tubbo are sitting outside Pogtopia and talking quietly, relishing in the calm before the storm, when Tommy remembers something.</p>
<p>“Remember when we built that house Tubbo? Before the election? And we said we could go there if things went wrong?”</p>
<p>Tubbo tilts his head up towards the night sky and sighs lightly. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>Tommy looks at his best friend. He doesn’t like his suit. It makes him look too much like someone else. He looks away and sighs. They're quiet.</p>
<p>“That option never really left.” He says it so quietly that it’s almost a whisper. Tubbo hums quietly in response.</p>
<p>They don’t talk about it again, but the thought nags at the back of both their minds.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>“I’ll make it as painless as possible.”</p>
<p>Tubbo just breathes harder, trying to get air into lungs that refuse to take it.</p>
<p>Schlatt laughs.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>He throws a pearl and it lands in front of the man with the long pink hair and pig skull mask, who barely looks at him before turning his crossbow onto the crowd and firing.</p>
<p>A man in a trench coat searches for a button that isn’t there.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Tubbo wakes up with a burning chest and a scream trapped in his throat.</p>
<p>He’s in his bed at his house and if he ignores the pain and the sobs threatening to rip him to shreds, he can strain his ears and hear screams coming from the direction of the festival.</p>
<p>He takes a deep breath, shoves everything down, and starts packing his things into a bag (some of what he packs can barely be called essentials but he never wants to see this place again).</p>
<p>He leaves the suit crumpled on the floor of a house he isn’t planning on coming back to.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>He forgives Techno even though the apology tastes like acid coming out of his mouth.</p>
<p>Tommy and Techno still fight.</p>
<p>Wilbur laughs.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Two soldiers sit in a room, but on opposite sides.</p>
<p>One has scars on his chest and ringing in his ears.</p>
<p>The other has bandaged knuckles and a busted lip.</p>
<p>The first one looks to the second.</p>
<p>“Remember what you said last night? A-about the hou-”</p>
<p>He’s cut off. “Yes.”</p>
<p>They look at each other and there’s silence before the first speaks again.</p>
<p>“I-” His voice cracks and he runs a hand over his eyes. He’s on the verge of tears. He takes a deep breath and shoves everything down. The ringing in his ears gets louder. “I think that would be nice.”</p>
<p>The other soldier</p>
<p>(but they’re not soldiers, they’re just boys. Boys who were thrown into a world and a war they weren’t prepared for and boys who were made to grow up before they were ready. Boys who were promised freedom and safety and fed honeyed words of liberty and independence. Boys who traded everything just to lose it all. Boys who are now sitting in an underground ravine discussing an old plan that was just a fantasy)</p>
<p>looks at him and neither of them talk as they make eye contact. He finally takes a shaky breath and says “I think so too, Big Man.”</p>
<p>It only takes another minute before both boys are on their feet and grabbing bags and food and anything else they can think of. They hardly speak a word between them except when everything they think they need is sitting by the door. They sit down at a small table, holding paper and pens.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Two figures on a horse ride out of Manberg in the dead of night. Neither of them look back.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>A note in Pogtopia tells of two boys who left. It tells its recipients not to look for the missing children, for they’ll come back when they’re ready. </p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>A note nailed to the door of the white house contains no words, but instead, a large picture of a rather rude hand gesture.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Even though Tubbo had just respawned a few hours ago, he’s the one on the back of the horse, dozing off. Tommy had insisted on taking the reigns and riding them out and Tubbo had agreed because Tommy had seemed pretty adamant about it.</p>
<p>It’s a little over an hour before the sun rises when they stop. They’re around four thousand blocks out from where they started and  they come up by a clear stream. They get off the horse and Tommy takes a rope from one of their bags and uses it to tether the animal to a nearby tree, giving the rope enough slack so that the horse can drink from the stream.</p>
<p>Tubbo takes a few small loaves of bread from one of his bags and hands two of them to Tommy when he comes and sits next to him. They eat by the water, slightly upstream from the horse. </p>
<p>It’s silent and when they get back up again after taking some twenty minutes to eat, Tubbo unties the horse and Tommy packs his friend’s bag back up. They get on the horse again but Tubbo has the reins and Tommy’s sitting on the back.</p>
<p>They leave.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>The sun rises and the people back home start waking up.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Nicki is the first to notice that the boys are gone and that their rooms are stripped. TechnoBlade is the one to find the note.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Schlatt sits at his desk and looks at the piece of paper in front of him. He scoffs. Quackity stands behind him, waiting for instructions.</p>
<p>“Quackity.”</p>
<p>“Yes sir?”</p>
<p>“Find Tubbo and ask what this is all about.”</p>
<p>“Um, Tubbo’s gone. Sir. After the- after the festival.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah. Forgot about that.” Quackity doesn’t know how you could forget about executing a member of your cabinet after making him plan and decorate his own funeral. “Get me a drink.”</p>
<p>“Yes sir.” Quackity walks out of the room. Somehow, he knows that this isn’t about the festival.</p>
<p>Tubbo was a good kid.</p>
<p>He’ll miss him.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Dream wakes up to the sound of frantic knocking on his door. He gets up, puts on his mask, and stumbles over to the source of the noise.</p>
<p>He opens the door and there stands most of the members of Pogtopia.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>“Dream sent a message in chat.” Tommy says.</p>
<p>They’ve been riding for almost five hours now and it’s been two hours since they left the stream. They’re skirting the border of a plains biome, with an oak forest on the opposite side of the open grass. A few sunflowers are dotted around, mixing in well with some of the other, scattered flowers. Tubbo thinks that it looks quite nice.</p>
<p>“Really? What’s it say?” He asks. He would check himself but he can’t look at a communicator and steer a horse at the same time.</p>
<p>“Tommy and Tubbo are gone. I can’t see their coords so they’re most likely outside the borders of the server. A note they left behind said they ran away. Tommy, Tubbo, if you see this, please tell us where you are so we can come get you. Either that or please decide to come back on your own.”</p>
<p>Tubbo clicks his tongue and the horse slows down to a stop. He turns his head around to Tommy, who’s looking at his communicator with a blank expression. The other boy looks up at him after a minute of silence.</p>
<p>“I think this would be a nice place to build a home. What do you think?” Tubbo says.</p>
<p>Tommy looks around them and a small smile starts to form on his face. “I think it’d be rather neat.”</p>
<p>They get off the horse and tie him to a nearby tree. After a quick discussion, they both come to the conclusion that they are very tired from not getting a proper sleep in almost twenty four hours. They take their two bedrolls from their bags and lay them out under a tree.</p>
<p>As they're just about to call it a night (even though it’s early morning), Tubbo says quietly, “They should at least know that we’re safe.”</p>
<p>“I think we should just shut off the stupid things.”</p>
<p>“Maybe after we tell them that we’re safe.”</p>
<p>Tommy sighs. His friend has a point. “Fine.”</p>
<p>They type out a quick message and go to bed, powering off both their communicators just as the wave of responses comes in.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>TommyInnit: We are out of the borders of the SMP and safe. We have food and all the materials we need. Do not come looking for us. We will come back when we’re ready</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>They build a house with a cobblestone floor, oak walls, and a birch roof. Tubbo says the roof looks hideous but he’s smiling when he says it so Tommy thinks he doesn’t really mean it. </p>
<p>Their house has two bedrooms, a small bathroom in between those two rooms, a kitchen connected to a small family room that only holds a couch and a jukebox, and a chest room. There are fairy lights tacked up high on all the walls. They’re not needed during the day, when the normal lights are enough, but at night the boys put out all the lanterns in the house and the small lights give the entire house a soft, warm glow.</p>
<p>Tubbo makes a small bee farm in a nearby clearing in the forest. They lay out in grass, surrounded by gently floating bees and fragrant flowers, for a very long time. Sometimes, they’ll bring out their jukebox, and Tommy will play his new disc that he found in a desert temple from the one time they went exploring. Tubbo teaches Tommy how to make flower crowns. Tommy claims not to like it but everytime they sit in the clearing, he’ll be fiddling with one.</p>
<p>Tommy builds a small farm, enough to sustain the two and their horse that finally got a small stable and who they’ve named Clementine (despite Tubbo saying that Clemetine was a girl’s name and the horse is a boy). The two of them grow wheat, carrots, and potatoes. They had discussed growing beetroots but Tommy had protested, saying that beetroots were a trash vegetable. Tubbo agreed with him.</p>
<p>They find a mine. On Tommy’s bad days when all he can hear is Wilbur’s deranged laughter and all he can feel is the arrow sticking out of his chest from a duel that was so long ago, both boys go mining. He finds the old, repetitive motions calming in a way that really helps him clear his head. They stick to the mine and stay away from any ravines they find.</p>
<p>They make a small fenced area for cows and another for sheep. When Tubbo has his bad days where all he can see are bright colors and all he can smell is stale alcohol from Schlatt’s office, he and Tommy sit in the pens and pet the animals, talking in hushed voices about nothing important.</p>
<p>They make a nether portal and explore the other dimension with wonder and excitement. </p>
<p>They learn to cook and they learn to craft and they learn to live in a way they couldn’t before. </p>
<p>They run through the plains and the forest and the tackle and wrestle each other in the bee clearing. They curl up on the couch and listen to music, wrapped in blankets made from sheep’s wool. They smile and they laugh. They have bad days and many bad nights but that doesn’t stop them from learning to live.</p>
<p>That doesn’t stop them from learning to heal.</p>
<p>And for once in a very long time, two boys are allowed to be boys.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>Techno and Wilbur sit at the bottom of a ravine.</p>
<p>Since Tubbo and Tommy had left with barely a word spoken, all conflicts on the server had been put to the side. They weren’t looking for the boys to respect their wishes but they all wished that they could.</p>
<p>(Schlatt sits at his desk and glances over official looking papers. He takes a swig from the beer bottle in his hand and decides to look at whatever this is later. Quackity comes in and picks two empty bottles up off his desk, throwing them away in a nearby trash can that holds bottles from the previous days. </p>
<p>“What’s happening Quackity? What are the people saying about their amazing leader?”</p>
<p>Quackity picks some papers up off the desk and pretends to read them, trying to ignore the slurred sound of his superior’s voice. “Everyone’s reconsidering their actions after Tommy’s message. There’s going to be a meeting in a month to discuss what’ll be happening moving forward.” He knows Schlatt isn’t listening. He wouldn’t say what he was about to if he were. “Dream’s thinking about stripping your power away and reinstating the old government, to give them another chance.”</p>
<p>“Oh really? That’s nice.” Schlatt says in a disinterested tone. Quackity starts leaving the office. “Keep bringing me updates, Flatty Patty.”</p>
<p>Quackity doesn’t rise to the bait and leaves, the door thudding behind him.)</p>
<p>The two men sit in silence, waiting for what they know is inevitable (They both saw the message in chat. They know who’s here without having to read it. They called him, after all). Wilbur’s taken off his trenchcoat and is back to wearing a yellow sweater and crimson beanie. He hasn’t worn the coat in a while. Techno’s cloak is off, revealing a blousy white shirt tucked into brown riding pants that are smudged with dirt from his potato farm. His pig skull mask is set to the side, and his hair is very loosely braided in the back.</p>
<p>After a few minutes a sound comes from the top of the ravine, and a man with large black wings comes down the stairs. Both Techno and Wilbur stand up to greet their father. They exchange a few hugs and smiles before they all sit down at the table again.</p>
<p>“I want to know everything and I want to know it now.” Phil says. He’s very mad but he can see that his two oldest sons are already stressed enough and they don’t need to see him mad. “I want to know what happened and where Tommy is.”</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>“Fire!”</p>
<p>He barely has time to turn around before there’s an arrow sticking through his gut. He falls to his knees and hearing approaching footsteps, looks up to see Wilbur.</p>
<p>But it isn’t the Wilbur who helped fight for L’Manberg. This Wilbur is wearing a long brown coat and his eyes are wild.</p>
<p>And he’s <em>laughing<em>.</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Tommy bleeds out on the boardwalk and Wilbur looks at him, his hands shoved deep into his coat pockets. He smiles down at him but it’s not a thing that Tommy wants to look at. He tries to look away but everything’s gone.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>Him and Wilbur are in a dark cave and Wilbur leans down and puts his mouth next to Tommy’s ear. Tommy tries to pull away but he <em>can’t<em>. He tries to scream from the pain of having <em>an arrow embedded in his gut<em> but he <em>can’t<em>.</em></em></em></em></em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>"That wasn’t a challenge Tommy. That was the truth.” And he recognizes this speech, remembers this speech. But something in him tells him that Wilbur isn’t talking about the presidency.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
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</p>
<p>His ears start ringing.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>He wakes up in a cold sweat. Tears stream down his face and he gasps for air. He sits up and reaches for his stomach to make sure it’s wh<em>ole and that there’s not an arrow there and that he’s alive and not dyin-<em></em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
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              <em></em>
            </em>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>He takes another deep breath and sits in his bed with his knees pulled up to his chest as he considers what to do.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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              <em></em>
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</p>
<p>It’s the middle of the night and this is his third nightmare this week. With some consideration and a sigh, he gets up, and on quiet feet, moves through the house to go do what he’s done for just about every nightmare he’s had in the last two weeks (he and Tubbo have been living here for two and a half months now.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em></em>
            </em>
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</p>
<p>They’ve been doing well).</p>
<p>
  <em>
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              <em></em>
            </em>
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</p>
<p>He comes up to the door of Tubbo’s room and slowly opens it, trying to make as little noise as possible.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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              <em></em>
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</p>
<p>(For the most  part.)</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>He sees Tubbo laying in bed and he sees the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathes. He closes the door and walks to the edge of the bed, sitting on the floor and leaning his back up against the piece of furniture. </p>
<p>
  <em>
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</p>
<p>The first time he did this was two weeks ago, after having a dream that was just like watching a rerun of the festival. He had laid in bed for thirty minutes before getting up and going to his friend’s room and doing what he’s doing now. He had sat there, dozing off lightly while listening to the small sounds Tubbo made while sleeping, reassuring himself that his friend was alive and safe. He had left before Tubbo woke up.</p>
<p>
  <em>
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</p>
<p>He leans his head back and takes a deep breath.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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                    <em>Tubbo cracks his eyes open slightly and looks at the back of Tommy’s head leaning against his bed. It’s the third time this week.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
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                    <em>He’s worried about his friend.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
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      </em>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>He moves his hand towards the other boy and lightly places it on his shoulder. Tommy tenses up. He slowly sits up and gets out of bed, removing his hand and sitting next to his friend, while the other boy keeps his head down and doesn't look at him. They’re silent.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>“You can wake me up if something’s bothering you.” It came out as a whisper but it was loud in the quiet room. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>“Didn’t want to bother you.” Tommy grumbled after a minute of silence.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>Tubbo reaches his hand up and starts to loosely card his fingers through Tommy’s hair. The other boy was slightly taller than him, but not as tall as he liked to pretend he was, so it wasn’t too hard.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>“You’re allowed to want attention, Tommy.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>It only takes another minute but Tommy brakes. He started crying quietly and talking about the duel between him and Dream and Wilbur laughing.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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                    <em>Tubbo understands. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>They wake up the next morning in Tubbo’s bed, Tubbo’s hand still in Tommy’s hair and Tommy’s arms wrapped around the boy he was starting to see as a brother.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>From that moment on, whenever either of them had a nightmare or late night panic attack, they’d go to the other person’s room for the night, where they were met with open arms and a kind of love only found between two friends who had dragged each other through hell and back.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Wilbur sits at the desk and signs some papers.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>It’s been a month since the server wide meeting and it had ended exactly how Wilbur thought it should’ve.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Which means that Schlatt was impeached and banned from the server, Wilbur was made president, and L’Manberg was on the fast track back to becoming something he could be proud of.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Quackity was still the vice president since he had been opposed to many of Schlatt’s laws and propositions and since he had actually been trying to help the country.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Techno and Phil became citizens of L’manberg and were happy to help Wilbur with whatever he needed. Techno lived outside of the newly constructed walls, saying that living so close to a government would make him break out in hives.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Nicki and Fundy got their bakery back and continued to feed the country. Wilbur had been slowly trying to repair his relationship with Fundy, who he saw as a son.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo and Tommy’s houses remained untouched by anyone.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He wished the boys could see him. He was trying so hard to make the country into somewhere they could live in without fear of more wars and bloodshed.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy flips through the book in his hands, finding the recipe for what he and Tubbo were making. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Ok we need flour, an egg, sugar, and milk.” He looks at the kitchen island, where all the ingredients had been laid out.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“What’s the first step?” Tubbo asks from where he was grabbing a bowl from one of the cabinets behind Tommy.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.” He walks over to the oven and hits a few buttons and in a moment, the fans in the oven start whirring. He looks back to the book. “In one bowl, mix the wet ingredients. Sugar, the egg, and the milk.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo pushes the flour aside and grabs a few measuring cups from beside him. “How much of each?”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Umm,” Tommy flips the page and looks at the top of the recipe. “Three cups of milk and one cup of sugar.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo nods and puts the correct amount of each ingredient in the bowl. Tommy puts the book down, grabs two cake pans, and greases them while Tubbo cracks the egg. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Now what?”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy puts the pans down and tries to wipe the excess oil from his hands onto the sides of his pants. “I don't know. The book’s by you.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo makes a small ‘oh’ sound and cranes his neck to look at the book a foot away from him, holding his egg covered hands over the bowl. “Mix the wet ingredients and add three cups of flour, one cup at a time and mixing in between them.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy grabs a whisk from a drawer and comes over the bowl. “I’ll mix these. You go wash your hands.” Tubbo nods and turns towards the sink while Tommy uses the whisk to evenly combine everything in the bowl.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo comes back over and starts to scoop a cup of flour out from the bag. “Hey!” Tommy protests, “ You put in the wet ingredients. I get to scoop the flour.” He says, putting the bowl down.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Ok, sounds good.” Tubbo says, holding out his cup of flour. Tommy reaches for it and Tubbo quickly jerks to the side and dumps it in the bowl, smiling mischievously at Tommy. “But you gotta stop me first.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He quickly reaches to the side to scoop more flour. Tommy smiles and lurches forward to stop him, grabbing Tubbo’s arm, which causes Tubbo to jerk back, sending the entire cup of flour launching towards his face. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy pulls back and looks at Tubbo, who’s ghost white from the neck up. He doubles over laughing and can’t see the pointed glare Tubbo shoots him. He also doesn’t see Tubbo scoop more flour, but he does feel it when that entire cup of flour is piled onto the top of his head.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>This time Tubbo is laughing and Tommy stands up straight. The flour on his head slides both down his back and over his face. Tubbo laughs harder.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy snarls and grabs a fistful of flour from the sack, throwing it directly at Tubbo.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Hey!” Tubbo shouts and repeats the motions while Tommy laughs, giving Tommy a mouthful of the dry powder. Tommy starts trying to spit it out and Tubbo smiles victoriously. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy grabs another fistful of flour and starts to chase a giggling Tubbo around the kitchen and the living room.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>At some point, they actually finish baking the cake and decorate it with icing they had made the day before and left in the fridge (there's minimal mess here, with only a few spoonfuls of icing being flicked back and forth).</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>At the end of it, the two flour coated boys slice the cake and each take a piece. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo bites into his piece first and makes a face. “Oh my gosh it’s so dry. I think we added too much flour.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy, who’d taken a bite while he was talking, agrees with him. The cake is awful. “Well I think it’s amazing.” He takes another bite of the terrible cake to prove his point that he doesn’t actually believe.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo laughs. “I hold a new respect for Nicki and her bakery.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy nods, takes another forkful of cake, and flicks it at Tubbo.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Two boys run around outside of a cottage in the woods, one with brown hair holding an entire cake in his hands, every now and then taking a small handful of it and throwing it at the blond boy he’s chasing. They both laugh loudly and their smiles are so wide that it hurts their faces.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They face each other in the plains biome in front of their house. They’re each holding a stone sword and have adopted fighting stances. It’s silent in the open area and their only audience is Clementine, watching from his stable while eating from a hay bale. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy is the first to push forward, forcing Tubbo to adjust his stance and go on the defensive. The swords clash as Tubbo blocks Tommy’s swing.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They’re both a bit rusty but the motions slowly start coming back to them, the pattern of slashing and blocking as familiar as breathing. They’ve been living here for six months now, and haven’t fought or touched a sword unless it was to cut down a zombie or butcher an animal for meat.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo pushes Tommy back and Tommy stumbles. He quickly regains his footing just in time to parry a jab from Tubbo.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo readjusts his stance, squatting a bit to lower his center of gravity. The fight is slow but a few more jabs from each of them, and something clicks.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They can both tell when it does and they both smile as the fight picks up speed rapidly and as they stop trying to touch each other like they had agreed on and they start fighting to hurt.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy got a cut across his cheek that bleeds and he passes at it with the back of his hand every now and then, only accomplishing to smear it across his face. Tubbo got kicked on the back of the knee and has to put more weight on his other leg to compensate for the slight discomfort.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They keep jabbing and slashing at each other. They fall back into the familiar stances and movements that they learned from hard work and wars. Tommy pants and Tubbo sweats as they keep fighting.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy hits Tubbo's side but their swords are stone, not diamond or netherite, and his shirt just gets cut across the side. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo gets him back when Tommy blocks one of his blows and he kicks him right below the knee. Tommy keeps from falling over and instead jumps back, shifting his weight.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They keep fighting until at some point both of their swords have been knocked to the side and they’re fistfighting. This doesn’t last long and Tommy pushes a panting Tubbo, who falls over and lays on the ground. Tubbo swats weakly at Tommy’s ankle. He gets the message and drops to the ground, laying in the grass by his friend. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They don’t say anything for a long time, instead trying to suck in as much air as they can.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>After a few minutes Tubbo says, “You still favor your right side.” Tommy just groans in response.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Another minute passes before Tommy actually says anything. “It’s been awhile.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo nods. “It’s more fun when your life isn’t at risk.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo starts picking a few flowers around them and weaving them into a flower crown. It’s quiet again.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Do you miss them?” Tubbo asks.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Who?”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Everyone. Wilbur, Nicki, Techno, Fundy.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah.” Tommy says a bit hesitantly. “Everyone but Schlatt.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Screw Schlatt.” Tubbo says with a straight face. He reaches out to the side and picks a red flower to add to his crown.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“I’ve never agreed with anything you’ve ever said more than just now.” Tubbo giggles and Tommy laughs with him after a second. “But I do miss them.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Yeah. What if- what if we went back?” Tommy sits up on his elbows and turns to the other boy. Tubbo sits up and places his finished flower crown on Tommy’s head.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“But we came here to leave that all behind.” He sits up completely and adjusts the flower crown so it doesn’t fall off.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“But we can’t stay here forever. We’ve been here for months, Tommy. We haven’t had contact with anyone since we turned off our comms.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“You really want to go back?”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo shrugs. “If things are better.”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“How do we know if things are better?”</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They’re silent.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“We could check the comms. See if there’s any updates.” Tubbo whispers.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They sit in the bee clearing, each holding their comms that haven’t left the chest in the back of their house in months. They’re silent as they power them on and scroll to the top of the server chat until they reach Tommy’s last message.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Dream: There’s going to be a meeting in one month. I expect everyone to be there. No fighting until then</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Philza joined the game</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>JSchlatt left the game</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Wilbur Soot: We need more black stone, is someone available to get it?</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>KarlJacobs: I can have two stacks in three day’s time</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Wilbur Soot: Perfect thank you</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>KarlJacobs: No problem :)</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>BadBoyHalo: Can someone show me where the xp grinder is? I got lost</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>TechnoBlade: Human GPS to the rescue. Where are you?</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>BadBoyHalo: Um, there’s some birch and oak trees and a river.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>TechnoBlade: Stay still, I know where you are</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>BadBoyHalo: I doubt that but ok</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>BadBoyHalo: How the heck are you here</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>TechnoBlade: I recognize these trees</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Philza: My theory is that he’s magic</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Nihachu: Witchcraft</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Wilbur Soot: The bakery will be reopening in two days!</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>GeorgeNotFound: It’s about time</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Sapnap: Me and Gogy will be the first in line</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Dream: Anyone who gets ahead of me in line, I will ban from the server</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Sapnap: Me and Gogy will be second in line</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The chat was just filled with messages like that. There were very few death messages, and the ones that were there were either someone dying to mobs or heights.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The two boys look at each other, trying to absorb this new information.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Phil’s here.” Tommy says quietly. He can’t remember the last time he saw the winged man.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>“Schlatt’s gone.” Tubbo says just as quietly.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They sit in silence for a very long time. They both know the decision they’re about to make.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The next few days were filled with preparation for their departure.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The pens were opened and the cows and sheep were let free. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They took what they needed from the farm and left the excess to any wild animals that found it.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The nether portal was taken down so the liberated farm animals wouldn’t wander into it and die.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo collected his bees once again and packed them up with enough bottles of honey to last a lifetime.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They took what they needed from their chests.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They tamed a wild horse so that they wouldn’t both have to ride Clementine on the way back and so the weight of their luggage would be more evenly distributed. She was a beautiful horse and Tubbo named her James. Tommy protested, saying James was a boy’s name and Tubbo told him that he named their boy horse Clementine, so he wasn’t allowed to talk.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They packed their blankets and bedding and took all the food from the kitchen to eat on the way back. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They filled their canisters with water and put out all the lights in the house.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They stand together early in the morning and look at their little house for the last time.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They say nothing as they climb onto the backs of Clementine and James, trotting off into the woods.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Dream waves to Bad as he leaves the site of the new building they're working on. He pulls out his comm to check everyone’s coordinates so he can find out where  Wilbur is and how close he is to their meeting spot. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He scrolls through the usernames,  placing them in a general area based on their x coordinate. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Bad is just behind him.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Karl is near the bakery.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Phil is in L’Manberg</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tommy and Tubbo are somewhere in the wilderness.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Techno is somewhere near sp-</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>He stops walking and does a double take, scrolling up above Techno. Tommy and Tubbo are inside the server’s borders and they’re moving in farther. He smiles widely and types out a quick message in chat.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The journey this time is slightly shorter now that they have a set goal and destination in mind. They’re riding beside each other when both their comms ding, and they pull them out, trusting the horses not to take them too far off course.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Dream: Tommy and Tubbo’s coordinates show that they’re both inside the server borders!</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Nihachu: What!</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Tubbo_: Hello! :)</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>TommyInnit: Thanks for ruining the surprise Big D</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Purpled: Welcome back!</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The_Eret: Boys!</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>The chat quickly fills up with excited and welcoming messages and they both put their comms away and keep riding.</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>*****</em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>They ride farther into the server and they know they’re home when they see the spruce forest that surrounds spawn. They both smile and start whooping as they make their horses pick up the pace. </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>Then they see the walls. Tubbo is the first to point them out and Tommy’s face hurts from grinning. The walls are back, and coupled with the knowledge of his departure from the server and the absence of a returning message, can only mean that Schlatt isn’t in power anymore.</em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>They’re <em>home<em>.</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p><em><em><em>The first person they see is Phil. They ride up to the entrance of the country and the man swoops down from the skies. Tommy and Tubbo all but fall off their horses and run to great him, getting caught in a huge hug. Phil wraps his wings around the boys and tells them how happy he is to see them, with his head pressed against the tops of the heads of the two younger boys. They laugh and only look up when they hear footsteps.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  
                
              
            
          
        
      
    
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>Phil releases them from his hug and they barely have a moment to register Nicki running towards them before she has her arms around the two of them, telling them how happy she is that they’re home and how proud she is of them for being so brave.</em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>And that’s how it continues. They look up from Nicki when she releases them and get swept into a hug from Fundy. And then Bad, and Skeppy, and Sam, and before they know it, almost the whole server has surrounded them and hugged them and told them how <em>happy<em> they are.</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p><em><em>Once most of the noise and excitement dies down Tommy looks around. When he doesn’t find what he’s looking for, he turns to Phil. “Where’s Wil and Techno?” he asks. Tubbo starts looking around as well and frowns when he doesn’t see them.</em>
                          </em>
                        
                      
                    
                  
                
              
            
          
        
      
    
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Phil gives them a slightly strained smile. “They’re both at the white house. They said they’d talk to you once you got to see everyone else.”</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Tommy doesn’t ask why they're at the white house. He’s pretty sure he can guess.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>“Well we’ve seen you all and now we want to see them.” There’s a few giggles in the crowd surrounding them and Phil smiles, for real this time. He makes a motion with his hand and starts walking. Tommy and Tubbo follow him, and everyone parts to let them pass.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>*****</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>Wilbur sits at the desk in his office, Techno leaning on the wall behind him.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>He wants nothing more than to go see his little brother and his friend but he can’t just pretend like everything’s alright. Not after what he did and what he almost did. He could tell Techno felt the same way.</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>There’s a knock on the door, and Wilbur thinks it’s Dream, coming in to give them an update on where the boys are, like he’d done earlier. “Come in.”</em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>The door opens and it’s Phil who stands there. He’s about to ask Phil what he needs when someone pushes Phil’s wings aside and steps into the room.</em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>It’s Tommy and Tubbo and Wilbur stands up from his chair. Techno stands up straighter behind him in a rustle of fabric. The two boys look happy and Wilbur tears up a bit, not realizing just how much he missed them until they’re both <em>right there<em>.</em></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>He steadies himself a bit and says what’s been eating at him since he read the note they’d left behind (he keeps it in his desk drawer. He pulls it out and reads it when he’s feeling particularly bad about what he’s done). He looks down to his desk and takes one more steadying breath.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“I’m so, so <em>sorry<em>. And I understand if you can’t forgive me, because I know I’ve hurt you-” He’s cut off by the sound of feet and then the two boys have slammed into him and have their arms wrapped around him in a bone crushing hug.</em></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“‘S ok.” Tommy grumbles into his chest. He wraps his arms around the two and hugs them back. “We’re gettin’ better.” Tubbo nods and buries his head further into Wil’s side.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p> They stand like that for a minute before the boys detach themselves from him and look over his shoulder, at Techno. </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
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<p>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>They run to him and he quickly gets the same treatment as Wilbur, and Wil’s thankful that he doesn’t have his mask on, because the boys would’ve run right into it.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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        </em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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      </em>
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<p>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
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<p>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
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  <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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              <em>
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                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>They stand like that with Techno for another minute, and his apologies go unsaid but they’re still there in the way the warrior clings to the two boys in his arms.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    </em>
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</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>
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    </em>
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</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>
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        </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
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<p>
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<p>
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<p>
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<p>
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        </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
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<p>
  <em>
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</p>
<p>
  <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
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</p>
<p>
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    <em>
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<p>
  <em>
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</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
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<p>
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    <em>
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</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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  </em>
</p>
<p>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>Wil gets pulled into another hug and all four of them just stand there, holding each other. Phil comes over and they all sit on the floor, hugging.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
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    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>Eventually, they’ll all let go and everyone will go to Nicki and Fundy’s bakery, where the boys will eat an entire cake and tell everyone what happened and where they were and what they did, and everyone will laugh and smile at their antics and talk about what happened while they were gone.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>But for now, the five of them just enjoy the moment. A million apologies go unsaid but they’ll have plenty of time to say them later.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em>
            <em>
              <em>
                <em>
                  <em>
                    <em>
                      <em>
                        <em>
                          <em>
                            <em>
                              <em>
                                <em>
                                  <em>
                                    <em>Tommy and Tubbo aren’t going anywhere.</em>
                                  </em>
                                </em>
                              </em>
                            </em>
                          </em>
                        </em>
                      </em>
                    </em>
                  </em>
                </em>
              </em>
            </em>
          </em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
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<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
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        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em></em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
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    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
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    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em></em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em></em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>
      <em>
        <em>
          <em></em>
        </em>
      </em>
    </em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I dedicate this work to Lipton green tea and Coca Cola for the caffeine they've given me and whatever website I found that taught me how to do italics here. Special thanks to my best friend for trying to keep me sane while I edited This Monsrosity</p></blockquote></div></div>
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